Food and Technology Blog

The tide has turned on pro-coal proposal

Posted Aug. 1, 2014 / Posted by: Kate Colwell

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, a bipartisan group of senators decided to omit a pro-coal and anti-environment provision from a bill they introduced to reauthorize the federal Export-Import Bank. The provision, originally proposed by Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va), would have slashed the government bank’s ability to enforce a recently enacted policy to restrict financing for coal plants abroad. Enormous coal projects previously financed by the Export-Import Bank will damage human health, the environment and the global climate.

Friends of the Earth Economic policy program senior manager Doug Norlen issued the following statement:

The tide has turned away from Sen. Manchin and other dirty fuel supporters. Facing the potentially catastrophic consequences of climate disruption, the U.S. government cannot and should not be in the business of exporting pollution or subsidizing the profits of an obsolete industry; particularly at the risk of human health.